Boxing Legend Jack Johnson Posthumously Pardoned by Donald Trump

President Donald Trump granted a posthumous pardon to the first African-American heavyweight boxing champion Jack Johnson on Thursday.

Trump issued the pardon alongside Sylvester Stallone, who brought the story to the president’s attention, and Johnson’s great-great niece Linda Bell Haywood, who’s been advocating to clear her uncle’s name for years.

Sylvester Stallone called me with the story of heavyweight boxing champion Jack Johnson. His trials and tribulations were great, his life complex and controversial. Others have looked at this over the years, most thought it would be done, but yes, I am considering a Full Pardon!

“Today I’ve issued an executive grant of clemency, a full pardon, posthumously, to John Arthur ‘Jack’ Johnson … The first African-American heavyweight champion of the world, a truly great fighter. Had a tough life,” Trump said.

Under the Mann Act, Johnson was convicted in 1913 for taking his White girlfriend across state lines. The Mann Act was enacted to prevent human trafficking for prostitution.

It took an all-white jury less than two hours to convict Mann saying he took his 19-year old girlfriend across state lines for “immoral” purposes, according to NPR.

This website or its third-party tools use cookies, which are necessary to its functioning and required to achieve the purposes illustrated in the privacy policy. If you want to know more or withdraw your consent to all or some of the cookies, please refer to the privacy policy.
By closing this banner, scrolling on this page, clicking a link or continuing to browse otherwise, you agree to the use of cookies.OkRead more